Arch support



w. E. coPlTHoRN ARCH SUPPORT June 7, 1938.

Filed oct. 22, 195e Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE yp Anon SUPPORT Walter E. Copithorn, Natick, Mass. Application october22, 1936, serial No. 107,031 v 8 Claims.

This invention relates to an arch support to fit within a shoe and whichis adjustable.

A person often requires a change in his arch support to raise or lowerits height, and inasmuch as the ordinary arch support is non-adjustablea new one must be bought before the old one is worn out, thereby causingextraexpense and inconvenience. One object Vof my invention is toprovide an arch support which is readily adjustable to any heightdesired by merely replacing one member. Another object is to providesuch a simple arch support that its adjustment can be changed' by anunskilled person in a few minutes, and which change requires the use ofonly a single, inexpensive part.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of theinvention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction,combination and operative arrangement of parts such as is disclosed bythe drawing and specication. The nature of the invention is such as torender it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and,therefore, I am not to be limited to said disclosure; but am entitled toall such changes therefrom as lfall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my arch support, the dot and dash linesindicating the outline, of a shoe.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of my arch support.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view, showing various parts used in my arch support.

As illustrated my arch support has a top covering Ill usually made ofleather and sometimes called a sock lining, and next to it is a paddingmember II, consisting of a perforated piece of rubber, for protectionand to provide a cushioning effect. Then cornes a heavy piece of leatherI2 or other suitable material which serves as an anchor `to which otherparts are secured. A curved arch plate I4, preferably made of spring s;metal, has holes lB through which rivets I5 pass that are fastened to.said anchor piece I2. A small piece of metal I'l of angular shape isadjacent to and preferably slightly spaced from said arch plate I4 andAhas a hole i9 therein through which a rivet i3 passes that is fastenedto said anchor piece l2, and serves as a brace at this point. It alsohas two bolt holes 2B later referred to. This member Ii permits my archsupport to readily flex at the metatarsal joint in the foot.

There is an outside, bottom covering 22, and

slightly in perspective,

curved, arch spring plate 25, which is removable,

thereby making my arch support readily adjustable by merely removingsaid spring plate and.'

substituting another of a different curvature as desired. This plate isheld in position at the forepart of the foot by small bolts 26 whichextend through the anchor piece I2, the heads of said bolts preferablybeing countersunk therein, through the angular piece I1, the bottomcovering 22 and holes 2l in said spring plate 25. Screw threaded nuts 28screw on said bolts 26 and hold said spring plate 25 in place. f Therear end of saidspring plate 25 is unattached and has a curved portion29 bearing against said bottom covering 22 which is free to movelongitudinally as the person using it walks. My arch support is merelyinserted in a shoe 30 and need not be attached thereto. When the heightor adjustment is desired to be changed the arch supportis removed fromthe shoe, the said nuts 28 are taken on, said spring plate 25 removedand another substituted in its place. While one bolt 26 would besufcient to hold said spring plate 25 the use of two said bolts 26prevents any lateral movement of it, and is, therefore, preferable.

-What I claim is:

1. An arch support comprising a top covering, a padding member, ananchor piece, an arch plate fastened to said anchor piece, a separatemember adjacent said arch plate and fastened to said anchor piece, abottom covering, stitches holding said top and bottom covering togetherwith said padding member, anchor piece, arch plate and separate memberbetween them, an arch spring member outside of said bottom covering, anda` plurality of bolts and removable nuts to hold said arch spring memberto said anchor piece, said bolts extending from said anchor piecethrough said separate member, bottom covering and arch spring member.

anchor piece, a separate member adjacent said arch plate and fastened tosaid anchor piece,

and an arch spring member outside of said bottom covering, and means tohold said arch spring member extending from said anchor piece throughsaid separate member to said arch spring member.

4. An arch support comprising a main supporting member embodying an archplate, a separate member fastened to and Within said main supportingmember, adjacent to and forward of said arch plate, an arch springmember outside of said main supporting member, and means to hold saidarch spring member extending from said main supporting member throughsaid separate member to said arch spring member. Y

5. An arch support comprising an outside covering, an anchor piece, anarch plate fastened to Said anchor piece, said anchor piece and archplate being vintermediate said covering, and an arch spring memberoutside of said covering, and means fastened to said anchor piece at oneend and to said arch spring member at the other to hold said arch springmember, said means embodying removable means whereby said arch springmember may be removed and replaced.

6. An arch support comprising a top covering, anchor means, an archplate fastened at both ends to said anchor means, a bottom covering,

means to hold said top and bottom coverings, anchor means and arch plateas a unit with said anchor means and arch plate intermediate saidcoverings, an arch spring member outside of said bottom covering, andremovable means to hold one end of said arch spring member to saidanchor piece, the other end being free.

'7. An arch support comprising an anchor piece, an arch plate fastenedto said anchor piece, an arch spring member, a pin member extending fromsaid anchor piece at a point beyond the end portion of said arch plateto one. end of said arch spring member, and separate removable means tohold said pin member to said arch spring member.

8. An arch support comprising a padding member, an anchor piece, an archplate fastened at both ends to said anchor piece, a separate memberforward of and adjacent said arch plate and fastened to said anchorpiece., means to hold said padding member, anchor piece, arch plate andseparate member together, an arch spring member extending outside ofsaid aforementioned members, and a plurality of pin members to hold saidarch spring member extending from said anchor piece through saidseparate member and the forward end portion of said arch spring member.

WALTER E. COPITHORN.

